Programs and Tours

Lecture: Whistler's Seriousness

James McNeill Whistler has enjoyed the reputation of a brilliant artist and wit whose humor could turn from amusement to rapier-sharp criticism, a trait perfectly embodied in the image of his butterfly monogram armed with a barbed tail. Despite his public persona as a dandy, Whistler was deadly earnest about his art and often cloaked his most deeply felt beliefs in humor. This talk by Senior Curator of Western Art Carole McNamara will explore Whistler's seriousness in his graphic work.